The ECASD Encourages Homeowners to Use Power Strips
The Electrical Contractors Association of San Diego (ECASD) is encouraging homeowners to take full advantage of power strips and use it to their advantage in their homes. Power strips, sometimes referred to as power bars, is a group of power outlets joined by a power cord, and whose power source can be turned off all at once using a single switch. Build Safe
The ECASD says power outlets can help in eliminating phantom power load usage, as it conveniently allows the homeowner to totally switch off electric power from all devices without having to individually unplug all of their cords. Electricial Repair Contractors Association
Then there are Advanced Power Strips that further levels up the convenience a power strip provides. The Department of Energy further explained what this type of power strip can do.
“APS are designed primarily for home entertainment centers and home office areas where there are typically many consumer electronics plugged into a power strip, and they work by preventing electronics from drawing power when they are off or not being used. There are a variety of different types of APS to fit different people's needs. For example, if you often fall asleep when watching TV at night, an activity monitor APS can turn everything off for you.”
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The government’s Energy Star website meanwhile shared the different types of Smart Power Strips that can be utilized at home. American Lighting Association
“(1) Timer-equipped -- These power strips have outlets that are controlled by programmable timers. Devices plugged into them can be scheduled to automatically turn off or on at designated times of day or night. (2) Occupancy sensing. Occupancy sensing power strips have outlets that are controlled by a motion detector. Devices plugged into them can automatically turn off or on in response to your physical presence, or after a user-defined period of time elapses (e.g., anywhere from 30 seconds to 60 minutes). (3) Current sensing. These power strips can automatically turn several outlets off or on when they detect that a monitor (plugged into the "master outlet") either enters a low powered sleep mode.” More information can be found here.
The ECASD says, while power strips can be designed to protect appliances from surges or using us power when not being used, precautionary measures should also be observed when using these contraptions. First of which is that homeowners should never use sub-standard power strips. It should likewise not be overloaded, and should never be used in chains meaning plugging in a power strip on another power strip. In addition, appliances that require a huge amount of power to operate such as microwave ovens, refrigerators, and space heaters should never be plugged in to power strips because it will definitely exceed its capacity.